Car-coupling



(NoModel.) v 2 Sheats--Sheet 1.

A. VANDERBEOK.

GAR GOUPLING Patented Sept. 26

(No Model.)

2 YSheets--Sheeii 2. A. VANDERBECK.`

GAR GOUPLING.

No. 505,552. Patented sept. 26', 1895.

wifgzsses UNrrnD VSTrrrns' PATENT Fries.

l ALEXIS VANDERBECK, OF HUNTSVILLE, MISSOURI.

cAR-couPnlNe.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 505,562, datedSeptember 26, 1893.

Application filed June 7 1893 v To @ZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that l, ALEXIS VANDERBEok, l a citizen of the United States,residing at Huntsville, in the county of Randolph and State of Missouri,have invented a new and useful Car-Coupling, of which the following is aspecification.

The invention relates to improvements in car-couplings.

The object of the present invention is to improve the construction ofcar-couplings and to provide a simple and efficient one, which willenable cars to couple automatically and which will enable them to bereadily uncoupled from their tops without necessitating persons goingbetween them.

A further object of the invention is to provide means for supporting alink at the proper elevation to enable `it to enter the draw-head of anapproaching car, and to remove automatically the supporting means whenthe link has entered the draw-head to prevent injury to them.

The invention consists in the construction and novel combination andarrangement of parts hereinafter fully` described, illustrated in theaccompanying drawings, and pointed out in the claims hereto appended.

In the drawings: Figure 1 is aperspective view of a carcouplingconstructed in accordance with this invention, a link being supported inposition preparatory to coupling. Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinalsectional view. Fig. 3 is a plan view, the pivoted holder being swung toone side to allow the link-support to fall.

Similar numerals of reference indicate corresponding parts in all thefigures of the drawings.

1 designates a longitudinally movable draw-head, mounted on a car 2 andcushioned by a spiral spring 3, and receiving a coupling pin 4, whichisconnected by a chain 5, with an arm 6, of a rock-shaft 7. Therockshaf't 7 is mounted on the car and journaled in suitable bearingsand is disposed transversely of the car; and it is provided at one endwith the said arm 6, and at its other end with an arm 8, which isconnected by a rod 9, with an operating lever 10. The operating lever 10is fulcrumed on a post 11, which is mounted on the top of the car 2; andthe said Serial No. 476,838- (No model.)

operating lever is adapted to have its inner handle-end depressed torotate partially the rock-shaft 7, to elevate the coupling pin 4.

The rock-shaft is provided with ratchetteeth 12,and is held againstturning to maintain the coupling pin in an elevated position by alongitudinally-disposed spring-actuated pawl 13. The spring-actuatedpawl 13 is mounted on the car and has its rear or inner end engaged by aspiral spring 14, to hold its tooth 15 in engagement with theratchet-teeth 12 of the rock-shaft. The front end of' the pawl 13 issupported by a guide-plate 16, and is connected to the upper end of alever 17, which isfulcrumed on a horizontal liange 13, of theguide-plate 16, and has its lower end connected "by a rod 19, with thedraw-head, whereby when the draw-head is moved inward incident to theoperation of coupling when the cars come together, the pawl,through 'thelever, will be drawn outward from engagenient with the ratchet-teeth ofthe rock-shaft to cause the coupling-pin to fall and engage the link 20.The rear end of the rod 19 is hooked and engages the draw-bar ordrawhead, but any other suitable means may be employed for connectingthe lower end of the lever with the draw-head.

The operating-lever is supported by a spring 21, which is secured to theinner end of the operating lever adjacent to the handle portion andengages a stop 2la of the fulcrum post 11 at the inner face thereof. Thespring is adapted to throwthe handle portion of the operating leverupward to assist in causing the coupling pin to fall and to prevent thehandle portion of the lever counterbalancing the weight of the couplingpin. The link is supported by a rectangular frame 22, which has theinner ends of its sides hingedly connected with the car at oppositesides of the draw-head and is adapted to swing outward and to assume ahorizontal position to prevent the link from sagging to guidethe linkinto the draw-head of a car without necessitating going between cars toeffect this result. The link-supporting frame is held in a IOO thepivoted holder is adapted to be engaged by an approaching draw-headafter the link has entered the same, and to be moved laterally, owing toits beveled end, to one side to cause the link-holding frame to drop toprevent the frame or the pivoted holder being struck by the approachingcar.

The pivoted hold er is provided intermediate of its ends with a pocket25, to receive the adjacent side of the link-holding frame; the pocketis formed by a supplemental plate secured to the upper face of thepivoted holder; and any number of pockets maybe arranged in verticalseries to enable the link-holding frame to be held at a horizontalposition or above or below the same to guide the link into draw-heads ofcars whatever may be the height or elevation of such draw-heads.

It will be seen that the car-coupling is simple and inexpensive inconstruction, that itis positive and reliable in operation, that it iscapable of automatic coupling, and that it may be readily uncoupledwithout necessitating going between cars.

The frame 22 is provided at its end with a bend 26, to ping laterallyfrom it.

Any suitable means may be provided for enabling the rock-shaft to berotated from the sides of the car.

Changes in the form, proportion, and the minor details of constructionmay be resorted to without departing from the principle or sacrificingany of the advantages of the invention.

Supporting prevent the link slip- The pivoted holder 23 when not in useis` retained against the car to prevent it being injured and to keep itout ofthe way, by a swinging keeper 27 mounted on the car near one sidethereof and arranged to engage the beveled end of the said holder.

1. In a car coupling, the combination of a I car, a rock-shaft mounted,on the car and provided with a forwardly-extending arm, a draw-headcapable of longitudinal movement and mounted on the car, a coupling pinconnected with the arm of the rock-shaft,means for turning therock-shaft to elevate the coupling pin, and a pawl engaging therock-shaft and connected with the draw-head and adapted to be withdrawnfrom engagement with the rock-shaft by an inward movement of thedraw-head, substantially as described.

2. In a car coupling, the combination of a car, a rock-shaft journaledthereon and provided with ratchet-teeth, a draw-head mounted on the car,a coupling pin connected with the rock-shaft, a pawl engaging theratchetteeth of the rock-shaft, and a lever fulcrumed on the car andhaving one end connected to the pawl and its other end with thedrawhead, substantially as described.

3. In a car-coupling, the combination of a car, a draw-head mountedthereon, a horizontal rock-shaft journaled on the car and provided witha forwardly-extending arm and having ratchet-teeth, a coupling pinconnected with and carried by the arm of the rockshaft, alongitudinally-disposed spring-actuated pawl mounted on the car andengaging the teeth of the rockshaft,a lever fulcrumed on the car andhaving its upper end connected to the springactuated pawl and its lowerend connected with the draw-head, and means for turning the rock-shaft,substantially as described.

4. In a car coupling, the combination with a car, a draw-head mountedthereon, a horizontal rock-shaft provided with forwardlyextending armsand having ratchet-teeth, a coupling pin connected with and carried byone of the arms, an operating lever fulcrumed at the top of the car andextending outward and connected with the other arm of the rock-shaft, aspring engaging the inner portion ot' the' operating lever to repressthe outer portion, a spring-actuated pawl mounted on the car andengaging the ratchet-teeth of the rock-shaft, and a lever fulcrumed onthe car and having its upper end connected to the pawl and its lower endconnected with the draw-head, substantially as described.

5. In a car coupling, the combination of a car, a draw-head mountedthereon, a rockshaft provided with ratchet-teeth and having aforwardly-extending arm, a coupling pin connected with and carried bythe arm,`a spring-actuated pawl mounted on the car and engaging theratchet-teeth of the rock-shaft, a guide-plate secured to the car andreceiving and supporting the pawl and provided with a horizontal flange,and a leverfulcrumed IOO on the horizontal flange and pivoted to thepawl and connected with the draw-head, substantially as described.

6. In a car coupling, the combinationof a car, a draw-head, alink-supporting frame hingedly connected with the car at the sides ofthedraw-head and adapted to swing upward in advance of t-he draw-head forsupporting a link, and a horizontally-swinging holder supporting theframe and having its front end beveled at the inner side and adapted tobe moved laterally by an approaching car to cause the link-supportingframe t0 drop, substantially as described.

In a Car coupling, the combination of a car, a draw-head, a rectangularlink-supporting frame hingedly connected with the drawhead, and a holderhaving its inner end pivotally secured to the car and having its outerend beveled and adapted to be moved laterally by an approaching car andprovided with a pocket receiving the link-supporting frame,substantially as described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto afIiXedmy signature in the presence of two witnesse..

ALEXIS VANDERBECK.

IIO

